Salem receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bellingham
Salem
Opportunity
63 · Top 35%
vs62 · Top 37%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs72 · Top 16%
Climate
72 · Top 31%
vs74 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 45%
vs42 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 3%
vs68 · Bottom 10%
Access
42 · Bottom 7%
vs69 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
64 · Top 33%
vs68 · Top 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Bellingham | Salem | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 230,503 | 438,906 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,784 | $78,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,361 | $37,986 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 109/sq mi | 228/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $585,800 | $424,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,555 | $1,399 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.7% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.3% | 27.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,071 | 1,819 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.6 | 4.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.9% | 15.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 83.0" | 40.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 93 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bellingham
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Salem
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bellingham
57
Your Score
58
Area Score
Salem
65
Your Score
63
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Bellingham, WA Metro Area · Salem, OR Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology